Springboard



N. BUCK SPRING BOARD March 27, 1951 Filed June 30, 1948 NORMAN BUCSK t nnen or r attorney;

Patented Mar. 27, 1951 vP'I'ENT OFF l C E lSPRINGBOA'RD Norman 1Buck, Seattle, *Wash Application 4J une '30, 1948, uSerial No."36,099

-This invention vrelates to improvements in a `spring board -used in acrobatics, and, more Iparvticularly, has todo with-diving boards for aquatic performers.

-In the past, it has been customary toemploy wooden boards as projectors in diving both yfor amateurs and profesional or exhibition performers. AA simple form of board has usually been a ratherwide plank about Atwo inches lthick and in length from-eight or ten to Veighteen or twenty feet. These are mounted with the approachend anchored toa pier orzidock vwith a fulcrum in advance thereof with the board either' inclined upward and `outward `or 'substantially horizontal. Other boardshave been fabricated withboth horizontally and vertically associated laminae vof wood members adhesively ormechanically joined together. `Still otherboards, such as those prod- `ucts of the-designer seeking longer wear and more uniformity.from-onefboard.to another, have been y formed of metallic elements. However, all of `these prior structures have beensubject to criticism-for any `of several-reasons, such as, for example, lack of uniformity, checking of the wood grain, twisting due to warping from expcsureto the elem-entsina .damp atmosphere, elasticity improperly located and, as with metallic boards,V extreme complication in fabricating and mounting, and hence, undue expense. These areonly-a vfew of the more obvious objections ,to-the prior art structures which I have overcome with my in-l vention. K

Therefore, it has been among the important objects ofthisinvention-to provide a diving device which is: simpleandeasyto construct and mount; t

has along and useful life under the most extreme conditions of hard and constant use; can be produced with uniform characteristics as determined to be desirable before construction is started; can be arranged so that the characteristics can be varied with the sacrifice of material or substantial labor; will resist the effects of the elements of nature through long exposure to all the seasons of the year; is light and compact for shipping purposes and can easily be installed even in the large sizes by but a single workman; and will have other and desirable characteristics as will appear more fully from the following description.

In the drawings, forming a part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred form of the diving device as it appears ready for use;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken in the plane indicated by line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is aside-viewf-of a modified form of diving board embodying the principles of my -invention; and

Fig. 4 is a substantially enlarged cross-section of the ypoint of "joinder between multi-sized tubular elements used in Yrny diving device.

As has been indicated before, most diving devices embody'an elongated flexible element upon which the performeriwal'ks, runs or jumps to deect and thereby-produce-a resultingv springing return action to throw his body into the air. My flexible element is indicated as a whole by the numeral l0 and includes a plurality of juxtaposed metallic tubes l2 that may-be secured `together at the --endslby cross member `I4 and fasteners I6, or by through-bolts -Il,-ass`hownin Figure l, intermediate the ends.

lThe tubular members I2 are best formed of heat-treated or tempered aluminum alloy extrusions of substantially vsquare cross-section, as shown in Figs. 2 and y4. Such material has great strength for its weight and very desirable Vsuch'variations .can easily be accommodated ,by

addingor zomittinga `tube or two. These tubes are most simply joined together by cross-boring an assembly and inserting a through-bolt il. Spacers I8 may be used to vary the width of the board and on occasion reduce friction between the tubes during flexing motions.

The diving device is usually mounted with its approach end elevated, as when it is at the end of a swimming tank. For this reason, I show the horse 2U which is rigidly positioned in an upright manner. Flange 22 of the cross-member 24 is secured to the horse 20 by bolts 25, or the like. The board is bolted to the other fiange of member 24 by fasteners I6. In spaced-apart relation to horse 20 is positioned the fulcrum 26 which is also rigid. The board overlies the fulcrum and is preferably not secured thereto in any manner, although under certain circumstances rockers may be applied on the fulcrum or hold-down devices may be used. The important consideration is that the approach en d of the board be secure and that the remainder be suitably cantilevered over the fulcrum, either in a horizontal plane as shown, or in inclination as is often desired.

It Will be understood that even though in Fig. 1 the device is shown to have a section of smaller tubes 30 extending outboard from the outer ends of the tubes I2, there are occasions when only the larger tubes may be used. Such, of course, would produce a relatively stii board. The use of the smaller tubes in the outer end section produces a board that has a softer action when jumped upon, as in diving. The end of a smaller tube 39 is inserted into the end of a larger tube I2, and shims 32, as shown in Fig. 4, are placed in position at the corners and driven tightly into place. These shims insure proper alignment and preclude twisting or warping of the one section relative the other.

In Fig. 3, I have shown a modification of the multiple section assembly of Fig. l, the main difference residing in the placement of the section having the larger tubes I2 in the outboard position and the section having the smaller tubes 3i! in the approach end of the device. This arrangement varies the characteristics in that more ilexure is allowed at the approach end of the board when the outer end is deiiected downward.

I have found that it is most desirable that the substantially square tubes be assembled so that their lateral medians lie horizontally so that the upper and under face of the assembly is rather flat and easy to walk upon. On the upper face, I have used non-skid adhesively applied tape with great success for boards for use in public pools where they are subject to constant usage by less skilled and possibly more rough performers. Where great premium is placed upon form, and the like, or it is desired to give a softer yet no-skid surface, I use cocoa matting or carpeting that may be secured around the outer end of the board and extend therefrom toward the ulcrum as desired. Usually only the last 50 or 60 inches are covered with the non-skid material.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many modications thereof are pos sible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A diving board device comprising a fulcrum; an elongated metallic springboard element xedly secured at one end portion, supported intermediate its length by said fulcrum, and terminating at the other end portion thereof in a plurality of longitudinally extending rectangular passageways, said springboard element compris-a ing a plurality of longitudinally extending metallic flexible elements positioned alongside each other, and normally lying substantially in a common horizontal plane, and laterally extending securing means securing said longitudinally extending metallic elements together against independent flexing movement; and a second spring-'- board element connected with said first springboard element comprising a plurality of metallic flexible rectangular tubular members positioned alongside each other, normally lying substantially in a common horizontal plane, and having their end portions telescopically disposed in said rectangular passageways in said rst springboard element and laterally extending securing means securing said tubular members together against independent flexing movement.

2. A diving board device comprising a fulcrum; an elongated metallic springboard element nxedly secured at one end portion, supported intermediate its length by said fulcrum, and terminating at the other end portion thereof in a plurality of longitudinally extending rectangular passageways, said springboard elementpcomprising a plurality of longitudinally extending metallic flexible rectangular tubular members positioned alongside each other, and normally lying substantially in a common horizontal plane, and laterally extending securing means securing said longitudinally extending metallic elements together against independent flexing movement; anda second springboard element connected with said first springboard element comprising a plurality of metallic ilexible rectangular tubular members positioned alongside each other, normally lying substantially in a common horizontal plane, and having their end portions telescopically disposed in said rectangular passageways in said first springboard element and laterally extending securing means securing said tubular members together against independent flexing movement.

' NORMAN BUCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 962,691 Anderson June 28, 1910 1,635,204 Brown July l2, 1927 

